Friends in Need
by MoonAndStars91
Summary: When a strange device separates Carter and Teal'c from the team, they find themselves embarking on an incredible journey. Meanwhile, O'Neill and Daniel try to protect a peaceful people from Goa'uld attack.
1. Chapter 1

Friends in Need

by MoonAndStars91

I own no character in this story, and earn nothing from writing it. That should cover everything! Oh, right. Stargate SG-1 characters belong to MGM.

SGCSGC

As the wormhole closed, Carter looked around at their surroundings.

P3X-997 was a very green planet. Conifers grew in small groves, almost as if they had been planted. Well, seeing as there was a distinct path leading away from the Stargate, the trees probably were planted.

"Carter," the colonel said, asking, in his own way, if she was okay. She'd been staring at the trees longer than she normally did.

"Sir?" She mentally shook herself.

"Where do you want to go for your soil samples?"

"Umm, over by the creek first, I think."

O'Neill nodded. "Teal'c, you go with Carter. Daniel and I'll get a feel for the place. When you're done, radio, and we'll meet back here before trying to make contact. Everybody got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"Mm-hm."

"Indeed."

As Carter and Teal'c split off, O'Neill turned to Daniel. The archaeologist was staring intently at a pillar no one had noticed before.

"Daniel?"

"Uh, yeah? What?" Daniel turned to look at him.

"What's with the pillar?"

"Well, I actually can't translate it." Daniel seemed more elated than frustrated. "I've never seen this before."

SGCSGC

"Major Carter, I believe you will wish to examine this." Teal'c turned and looked at his teammate.

Carter left her soil samples to look at what Teal'c had found.

She saw the glint of metal in the grass. A small, triangular object caught her eye. She bent and carefully picked it up.

"Wow." She turned it over, but could see nothing but a few etched markings. For something that looked so light, it felt very heavy, she noticed.

"Does it mean anything to you?" Teal'c queried, with a raised eyebrow.

"No. I've never seen anything like it." As she spoke, a small notch on the side of the thing began to emit a tiny amount of soft white light.

"Uh-oh." That was never good.

"Indeed," Teal'c answered drily.

The light began to pulse, and Carter tried to drop it, but it was as though it clung to her hand.

"Crap."

Teal'c grasped her hand, to try and pry her fingers loose. Before he could grip the device with his other hand, the pulsing light spread quickly over Carter's hand, and Teal'c's, then over their bodies. Then the light gave a final flash.

SGCSGC

Daniel ran his hands over the pillar he'd found, trying to make sense of the language.

O'Neill paced the perimeter of the area, wearing a path into the ground. He finally gave in.

"Carter, Teal'c where are you?" No one answered.

"Carter, Teal'c, report." Nothing but static greeted him.

"Daniel, break time. We gotta find Carter and Teal'c."

Daniel whirled around. "Wh-what happened?"

"I don't know; that's why we have to find them," O'Neill snapped.

"Right." Daniel picked up the pack he'd dropped. "I'm ready."

"All right." Jack took the lead, heading toward Carter and Teal'c's last known position.

SGCSGC

"Okay, where the hell are they?"

O'Neill and Daniel had found Carter's samples, but not Carter or Teal'c.

"How would I know? Do we split up?" He looked around nervously.

"No. We stick together. Let's try following the creek." He headed out, hand hovering over his gun. "We'll keep trying them on the radio as we go."

"Yeah," Daniel muttered. He gripped his 9mm, checking behind him to see if there was anyone there.

SGCSGC

As the light died out, Carter and Teal'c looked around. They were still in the forest, but everything looked…wrong.

"Hey, Teal'c, wasn't that tree…closer?" Carter shook her head to clear it.

"I…believe it was," Teal'c said, sounding confused.

Carter looked around, thinking. The trees were the same, but they were almost all in slightly different places.

A small clacking from behind them had the? turning, weapons raised, on instinct. A gasp, and the figure darted behind a tree.

Carter thought furiously. She had never seen anything quite like it. It was humanoid, and wearing fairly normal looking clothes. It was obviously not human, though. Its dark hair glistened like melting ice, and its skin was almost luminescent. As it peered cautiously around a tree trunk, she saw that its eyes were a startling pink color. It was also very large. Carter felt strange, having a…person? A person that large cowering from her P90.

"Uh, it's…it's okay. We're not going to hurt you," she called. She lowered her gun, and motioned Teal'c to do the same. She took a cautious step forward, toward the person.

It, or rather, he, stepped out from behind the trunk, and gazed down at her curiously. I spoke in a deep, gentle voice.

"Mur tha Tayi, chan eil?"

Carter blinked. Where was Daniel when you needed him? "Uh, I'm sorry. I… I don't understand."

The person motioned to himself. "Yin tha Eota." He motioned to himself again. "Eota."

Carter caught on. "Oh, um. Carter." She motioned to herself, then at Teal'c. "Teal'c."

When Eota's eyes landed on Teal'c, he gasped again, and hid behind the tree.

"What…?" Carter looked at Teal'c. He raised an eyebrow in response.

"We're not going to hurt you," she said to Eota. To demonstrate, she laid her gun on the ground. Teal'c did the same.

Eota peeked out, and shuffled out from behind the tree. He spoke again, in the lilting language. "Fiyata yi." He motioned them to follow.

Carter looked at Teal'c.

"I do not believe we have a choice, Major Carter. Perhaps he will lead us to someone who can help us."

Carter shrugged. "Okay, here goes."

SGCSGC

A/N: This is only my second fanfic, and I'm hoping to keep it going for a while. I will try to update as often as possible, so if I'm slow, please forgive me. I'm doing my best.

Please review, whether you do or don't like it. Constructive criticism is well-received, because it helps improve my writing. Anyway, I really hope you liked it, and will post the next chapter as soon as I am able.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I need to revise my 'copyright' statement

A/N: I need to revise my 'copyright' statement. MGM owns the original characters. I created the Yetri and their language. So, on with the story…

SGCSGC

O'Neill was becoming more and more worried. He and Daniel had been searching for almost an hour, and they'd found no sign of Carter or Teal'c. When they reached their starting point – Carter's sample kit – he decided they needed to get back to the SGC and scare up a UAV.

Daniel had his brow furrowed, obviously thinking hard. He gathered up Carter's kit and headed for the Stargate, following O'Neill.

"What's up, Daniel?" O'Neill asked, knowing that look on his friend's face meant he was mulling something over. As he asked, he started dialing Earth.

"It's just… they disappeared without a trace. No radio contact, no sign of a scuffle that we found. They're just gone. It makes me wonder if they happened across a device of some sort that… I don't know, transported them, maybe. Wait…" He trailed off, a look of horror on his face.

"What, Daniel? What!?" Jack rounded on him as they stepped onto the ramp in the SGC.

"Do you think that the pillar I found had anything to do with it? I don't know what it is, or does. What if I did something?" Daniel whispered.

O'Neill pondered that. "It's possible, but let's just add it to the list of possibilities, for now. We need to send a UAV out, first. Don't panic yet."

Daniel nodded. "Right. Don't panic."

As General Hammond hurried into the Gate room, seeing it was just the two of them, he asked, "What happened to Major Carter and Teal'c?"

O'Neill gave him the short version. "We don't know, how it happened, sir, but they disappeared."

Hammond nodded slowly. "Get to the infirmary, and we'll debrief after Dr. Frasier checks you.

O'Neill and Daniel left the Gateroom, their shoulders slumped. Hammond sighed and glanced at the Gate.

_Stay safe._

SGCSGC

Carter pushed a tree branch out of her way, and blinked. A small village stood in a large clearing of the forest. It was tidy, friendly-looking, but that wasn't what surprised her. Every person in the village looked much like Eota, and each person was peacefully tending to daily chores. And many of them were using technology Carter had never seen before. It was not Goa'uld in origin, thank God, but it didn't look like anything else either.

One mother was using a short pendant to amuse her baby. The pendant produced colorful holograms for the child to watch. He often reached out to pet a furry animal in the pictures, and blinked when his hand passed right through.

A man held a spherical object in his hand, holding it over a woman's head. He pressed one of the markings etched on it. It began to emit a light green beam that ran over her head. After it stopped, he looked at the sphere for a moment, then handed the woman a handful of some kind of herb.

_Oh!_ Carter thought. He was scanning her. _He's a doctor._

Eota led them straight to an old man weeding a garden. As they approached, he turned, and his eyes widened.

"Major Carter? We thought you were dead! And Teal'c! Yor Liyo!"

Carter was stymied. "H-how do you know us?" Inwardly she sighed. _Brilliant, Sam. Very non-cliché._

The man looked surprised. "How do we know you? We have been friends for over a year!"

Carter was completely confused. "But, we've never met! We…", she trailed off in thought.

She thought back to the forest, about nearly every tree growing in a slightly different place than before the light from the device had enveloped them. "Oh, my God…"

"What have you discovered, Major Carter?" Teal'c asked.

She turned to him. "Teal'c, I think we're in an alternate reality. Think about it. When we were in the forest, we were confused about the trees being in different places. And he just said that they thought we were dead! Maybe, in this reality, we are dead."

Comprehension dawned in Teal'c's eyes. "You believe the device transported us into this reality."

"Yeah, I think so." Carter turned to the man. "I'm sorry. We're not… the Major and Carter and Teal'c you know."

The man smiled. "I know the theory you speak of. Our Major Carter spoke of it often. Our people have performed many experiments to find a way to cross into other universes. Unfortunately, none have been successful."

"So, um… who are you?" Carter asked hesitantly.

"My name is Yokan, Major," he said. He gestured, "And, of course, you already know Eota."

"Yes. I noticed that he spoke a language I've never heard. What is it?" Carter asked.

"Oh! That's right. If you've never met us, you wouldn't know. We call ourselves the Yetri. Eota spoke our language. Many of us speak English, like our friends from Earth. Eota, though, has never learned. For a Yetri, he is very young."

Carter wondered what was showing on her face. Eota was at least seven feet tall? And he was young? Very young?

Yokan grinned widely, his luminescent skin stretching to show large white teeth. "I remember when our Major Carter first discovered that our lifespan is very long, she wore the same shocked expression."

Carter blinked. "Um… how long do you live?"

"Some of us may live to be one-hundred-fifty years old, much like the Jaffa." He nodded to Teal'c.

"Would it be rude to ask how old you are?"

"Not at all! I am one-hundred-twenty-seven years old."

Carter thought about that, trying not to seem shocked.

Eota tapped Yokan on the shoulder, and whispered in his ear. Yokan chuckled and responded, "I tha Yatta, thas, met I tha Teal'c."

"What was that about?" Carter asked.

Yokan turned back to her. "Eota has never meet Teal'c. He knows what Jaffa look like, and was worried. I reassured him that this is Teal'c, our friend."

Carter looked at Teal'c. "Well, at least we found friends. Now we just have to figure out how to get home."

"Indeed," Teal'c replied. He ducked his head, and touched her shoulder briefly, reminding her that her friend was by her side. She smiled a little. _There's no place like home. Wonder how many times I have to say it?_

SGCSGC

"Colonel, what happened?" Hammond asked.

"Well, sir, I told Teal'c to go with Carter to get her soil samples. Daniel was looking over a pillar he found. Said he couldn't translate it."

"Translate what?"

"There were markings on it, General," Daniel said, "and I've never seen anything like it before."

"Anyway," O'Neill continued, "after about two hours, I radioed, and no one answered. We searched for an hour, but found to traces. No sign of a struggle. It's like they disappeared into thin air."

Hammond sighed. "We'll send a UAV before we get too worried. It'll be about an hour, so get some rest."

O'Neill and Daniel exchanged looks. They sighed, but agreed to some down-time.

_Come back soon, Carter. You too, Teal'c. We need you guys,_ O'Neill thought.

SGCSGC

A/N: I decided, since I'm creating the Yetri language as I go, that I will include a glossary at the end of each chapter for my readers. This one will be composed of phrases from chapters 1 and 2, in order of occurrence.

"Mur tha Tayi, chan eil?" "You are Tau'ri, no?"

"Yin tha Eota." "I am Eota."

"Fiyata yi." "Follow me."

"Yor liyo!" "My (God, heavens, goodness)!"

"I tha Yatta, thas, met i tha Teal'c." "He is Jaffa, yes, but he is Teal'c."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry about the delay, and how short this chapter is. I've been fairly busy. Chances are there will be more delays, too, seeing as the school year is starting.

SGCSGC

"So, Yokan, where are we?" Carter asked. She assumed that they were on the planet they had designated P3X-997. Then again, this was an alternate reality.

"We call our home Arayea. The people of Earth called it P3X-997," Yokan answered. He handed cups of tea to her and Teal'c.

They were seated in Yokan's kitchen, talking over tea. Apparently it was a Yetri custom, to drink tea during important conversations.

As Yokan seated himself, he asked, "In your reality, are Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson alive?"

Carter blinked, then nodded. "Of course. Are they alive here?"

Yokan closed his eyes. "No, they are not. The four of you were killed. In our reality, you were trapped on Netu. Apophis killed you all."

Carter swallowed hard, and looked at Teal'c. He reached out and placed his hand over hers.

"Was I captured?" Teal'c asked. "I was, after all, on board a tel'tak."

"Your ship was fired upon, and you perished."

"So, none of our team are alive?" Carter asked.

"No," Yokan replied.

"Is General Hammond still in charge of the SGC?" Carter wondered aloud.

Yokan brightened. "Oh, yes! He will be for a long time, we hope. He has been a great friend to the Yetri."

"That is good news, indeed," Teal'c said with relief.

"Yeah," Carter said, as she blew out a deep breath. "Yokan, do you know of a way for us to go back to our original reality?"

Yokan sighed. "Unfortunately, we don't. As I said before, all of our experiments have been unsuccessful. We do have several theories, though."

Carter perked up. "Like what?"

"We are trying to recreate the quantum mirror that the Tayi found. It was destroyed, but the Yetri have an insatiable curiosity, and we would like to build a device like it."

"Um, how close are you?"

"Not very close. We are trying to work with scientists from Earth. General Hammond is working on persuading the President that a quantum mirror is not a threat."

"Wait, General Hammond was the one who ordered it destroyed!" Carter said.

Yokan smiled. "Yes, he was. Our leading scientist, Shiran, pled his case, so to speak, and General Hammond agreed. Our two races have been sharing technology for over a year; since we met, in fact."

Carter grinned. "I'll bet a lot of SGC scientists were overjoyed when they had so much new technology to study."

"Yes! They were ecstatic. They commented for days that Yetri technology was different in design than anything that they had seen. They also shared Earth technology with us. We are particularly grateful for the naquadah generators. They provide backup power for our hospitals and laboratories."

Suddenly, a child ran to Yokan from the open kitchen door. "Gritoren! Colonel Kowalski tha int!"

Carter stared. _Kowalski? Colonel Kowalski?_ "What's going on, Yokan?"

He smiled widely. "Our friend, Colonel Kowalski, is here?"

Teal'c said, "Major Kowalski is dead."

Yokan shook his head. "Not here. He was promoted to Colonel after nearly dying to save refugees from Chulak. He was the leader of SG-2, until they became SG-1."

A shadow appeared in the doorway. "Yokan, it's good to see you again. How-," Kowalski broke off.

He visibly tried to collect himself. "Major Carter? Teal'c? No offense, but you're supposed to be dead." He smiled uneasily. "Good to see you, though."

SGCSGC

Glossary:

'Tayi' means 'Earth' or 'people from Earth' (similar to Taur'i)

'Gritoren' means 'grandfather'

"Colonel Kowalski tha int." means "Colonel Kowalski is here."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm so sorry for the week-long wait. It's going to be a great school year, but posting may have to wait for weekends. I'll do my best.

SGCSGC

"Chevron one is encoded," Walter said. He looked around.

O'Neill had his hands locked onto one of the back of one of the chairs, hoping, _praying_ that the UAV would pick up on Carter and Teal'c's presence.

"Chevron two encoded."

Daniel bit his lip. He didn't know what had happened, but he was sure that they had to be on that planet. He hoped they were safe. God, he hoped they were safe.

He shook himself from his thoughts as the wormhole opened.

"UAV ready for launch."

"Do it," General Hammond ordered.

The small plane took off into the even-horizon, leaving plumes of exhaust behind.

"The UAV is over the planet, sir."

"Broadcast a message, and see if Carter or Teal'c replies," O'Neill said.

Walter opened a channel, and Hammond leaned toward the microphone.

"Major Carter, Teal'c, this is General Hammond. If you receive this message, please respond."

For several minutes, there was nothing. Then, just as they were about to try again, the speakers crackled.

"This is Habrin of the Yetri. We received your message. We do not know of Major Carter or Teal'c, but would be willing to aid your search, providing you have no ill intentions."

O'Neill and Daniel exchanged shocked glances with General Hammond.

Hammond leaned toward the microphone again. "We mean you no harm. This is General Hammond of Stargate Command. We would like to send a few people through the gate to meet you."

Habrin's voice responded immediately. "That is acceptable. However, we ask that you do not bring weapons with you, as we are a peaceful people."

"I'm afraid we can't do that. We know nothing of you and your people, and must keep safety as a top priority. We mean you no harm."

Habrin sighed. "Very well. Send your people. We will meet them near the Stargate."

The transmission cut off, and the people in the control room looked at each other.

Hammond straightened. "Colonel, I want you and Doctor Jackson to go with SG-2. Meet these… Yetri and find out what they know. Get to know them a little. You have twenty-four hours to report back."

O'Neill saluted. "Yes, sir."

SGCSGC

As the team stepped onto P3X-997, O'Neill saw a small contingent of strange-looking people. Their skin was luminescent, reflection light and seeming to glisten wetly. Their hair also seemed wet, but floated on the breeze as dry hair did. They were extraordinarily tall, at least seven feet each. They were unarmed. At the sight of heavily armed soldiers, some of them seemed to shrink back uneasily. One stepped forward.

"I am Habrin, leader of the Yetri. Welcome to Arayea, our home."

Daniel stepped forward also. "Hello. My name is Daniel Jackson. This is Colonel O'Neill. We're here to search for our teammates. They disappeared a few hours ago."

Habrin nodded. "Major Carter and Teal'c. Unfortunately, we have seen no one who is not Yetri. Where did they disappear?"

O'Neill stood beside Daniel. "We can show you, if you want."

Habrin smiled. "Please. Lead the way."

O'Neill took the lead, while Daniel fell into step beside Habrin.

They walked in silence for a while, before Daniel cleared his throat uncertainly. "So, um. I don't know anything about the Yetri. Can you, maybe, tell me about your culture?"

Habrin's smile grew. "Of course, Daniel. We evolved on this planet, Arayea. We are a forest-dwelling people. We are also a very peaceful people. Our ways are much like those of the Nox, though we cannot bring our dead back to life."

Daniel's eyes widened. "You know about the Nox?"

Habrin grinned at Daniel's shocked expression. "Of course. We are a very advanced people, but we will not use our technology to harm. We eat nothing but plant-derived foods. We will not kill another being. To do so is to flout the highest law."

Daniel blinked. "What is that law?"

"Harm none."

SGCSGC

O'Neill came to a halt. "Here we are. This is their last known position."

Habrin groaned. "I believe I know what happened to them."

Daniel whirled to face him. "What?"

"One of our scientists was walking here for inspiration. He does that quite often. He dropped his most recent project and couldn't find it. It was a device to transport people to alternate realities."

O'Neill dropped to sit on a log. "Oh, crap."

Daniel leaned into a tree. "Yeah. Crap."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Wow

A/N: Wow. It's been a while since I posted. Things seem to have calmed down, so hopefully I can get back to posting regularly. Anyway, I hope you like the new chapter.

SGCSGCSGC

Carter blinked. _Kowalski?_ "Uh, yeah. It's good… to see you too." She shook her head. _This is beyond weird._

Kowalski seemed to draw himself back to reality. He sat heavily on one of the kitchen chairs and stared at Carter and Teal'c. He licked his lips. "So, um… how are you here? The last we heard, you were all dead. One of the Tok'ra in Apophis' ranks told us that Apophis killed you."

Carter nodded. "That's what Yokan told us."

At Kowalski's baffled expression, she clarified, "We're not actually your Major Carter and Teal'c. We're from an alternate reality, where we escaped Netu. We came here accidentally, when I touched an artifact of some kind. So, your Major Carter and Teal'c are dead." She paused. "I-uh, I'm sorry, if we got your hopes up."

Kowalski was nodding, seemingly taking in everything she said. When Yokan handed him a cup of tea, he thanked him absently, and continued processing.

He finally looked up, and smiled. "Even if you're from an alternate reality, it's good to see you. We miss you guys. Are your Doctor Jackson and Colonel O'Neill here, too?"

Carter shook her head. "No. Teal'c was helping me collect soil sampled, and we were separated from Daniel and the Colonel. They probably have no idea what happened."

Kowalski shrugged. "Well, at least I know you're all doing okay, even if it's not here. Do you have a way to go back?"

Carter sighed. "No. We'll have to work on building one, or figuring out how to use the device that brought us here." She leaned back in her chair, wondering if she would ever see home again. She shook that off, though, and concentrated of the present. They could only go back if she focused on finding a solution.

When she looked up, Teal'c caught her eye, and gave her one of his familiar head nods. She smiled. She was glad that he knew how she felt, that he would be there for her. They were always there for each other, she and the rest of her team.

Yokan interrupted her reverie by saying, "We will help you as best we can, Major. Perhaps with your insight, we'll make faster progress."

"Yeah. Our scientists are working with the Yetri to figure it out. After you start helping, it should be a snap." Kowalski sounded enthusiastic.

Carter laughed a bit. "I appreciate your faith in me, but I don't know if I really deserve that much of it."

"Sure you do," Kowalski replied.

"Indeed, Major Carter. We have always had great faith in your ability to learn and create new technologies," Teal'c said.

Yokan nodded, as his grandson climbed into his lap. "I'm sure it will be daunting at first. But, if you're anything like our Major Carter, you'll be fine."

Carter smiled. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

"So, how is everything here? What's going on, on Earth and the SGC?" She asked Kowalski.

He shrugged. "General Hammond is fine. He's not even close to thinking about retirement, anymore. My team's trying to honor SG-1's, uh, your, memory by being the best we can." He grimaced. "That sounds really weird, talking about you like you're dead. Well, you are, but…" He trailed off.

Carter smiled. "It's okay, Kowalski. I mean, Colonel. Er, should I call you Colonel?"

He seemed to think about it for a minute. "Well, I'm fine with Kowalski, but at the SGC, Colonel might be better. Of course, I'm not sure if military etiquette applied to you, seeing as, well, you're not from here." He looked at her. "Whatever you think, Major."

Carter nodded, thinking about Daniel and Colonel O'Neill. What were they thinking? Would they find any clues as to what happened? She desperately hoped so. As nice as it was to see Major…Colonel…Kowalski again, she wanted to go back home, where she was actually… alive.

SGCSGCSGC

Teal'c listened, as Major Carter and Colonel Kowalski talked, rarely inserting his own comment.

Yokan invited them to follow him to the village laboratory, where they would meet Darrow, the head scientist in the alternate-universe project.

Teal'c took in their surroundings, as the others conversed, keeping half his attention on them, should he need to add to the discussion.

He noticed that these Yetri seemed a very peaceful people. Everywhere he looked, adults worked at their crafts, often taking breaks to chat with neighbors. Parents entertained young children, while older children played games, racing each other and eventually collapsing, only to get up and begin again.

He smiled, watching how carefree the children seemed. It was a wonderful thing, that they enjoyed their childhood, playing and laughing.

He followed Major Carter and the others into the laboratory, hoping that they would soon find a way to go home. As pleasant as it was here, he was painfully aware that it was not their place. Their home was in their SGC, continuing their duties as SG-1. He hoped Major Carter would find an answer, soon.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Okay, so much for going back to posting regularly. I apologize. Again. My life has been so crazy this year, and... Well, you're not reading this to hear my excuses. On with the story.

SGC~SGC~SGC

Daniel took a deep breath. "Okay. We know Sam and Teal'c might have found the project... device. What was it supposed to do?

Habrin shrugged. "Lonyi never told anyone what he was working on until he finished a project. I don't know what it might have done. Do you wish to go into the village with me, and ask him yourselves? I'm sure he will help you."

O'Neill nodded emphatically, and stood from the log. "Let's go."

SGC~SGC~SGC

"Darrow!" Yokan called. "Yin a himas!"

He turned to Carter, Teal'c, and Kowalski. "I told him I brought you with me. He's a somewhat nervous person."

Carter nodded. A few seconds later, a short – for a Yetri – man rounded a corner into the lab's foyer, dusting his hands off. He brightened when he saw Yokan. Then, his eyes landed on Carter and Teal'c.

"Yor liyo!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening.

Carter sighed expressively.

"Indeed," Teal'c said. Carter smiled.

Yokan quickly explained the situation to Darrow.

Darrow nodded briskly, and motioned to Carter. "Here, I'll show you what I've been working on. Maybe two heads will be better than one."

Carter smiled, and followed him to a small lab off the main hallway.

SGC~SGC~SGC

"So, where is Lonyi?" O'Neill asked Habrin. He was impatient, and he wanted his people back, pronto.

"Follow me, we're almost there," Habrin replied. He seemed to be immune to O'Neill's grouchy attitude, much to Daniel's relief.

O'Neill sighed, and slouched along beside Daniel.

SGC~SGC~SGC

"So, how far have you gotten in your research?" Carter asked Darrow.

He shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, not very far. I wish I had better news for you."

Carter shrugged. "Well, at least we know it's possible. Now we just have to figure out how." She forced a grin.

Darrow nodded, then led the way over to a table covered with papers. He shuffled through them. "These are the original equations we used. If we're going to figure this out, we'll have to start from the beginning. Several attempts have failed, and we keep revising it. See what you think."

Carter took the equations from him and sat down in a chair by the table. She tried to focus only on the equations, for force their components into an order that might work, and that made complete, perfect, sense.

SGC~SGC~SGC

Teal'c followed Major Carter and Darrow, while Yokan and Colonel Kowalski remained outside, discussing the latest happenings.

As they passed into Darrow's lab, Teal'c smiled slightly. It looked very much like Daniel Jackson's lab: papers lay scattered everywhere, emphasizing the odd forgotten water glass with dust floating in it.

When Darrow handed Major Carter the sheets of equations, Teal'c leaned against the wall slightly. He knew that they would probably remain in the lab for a long time, while Major Carter and Darrow scoured the papers for possible revisions to be made.

SGC~SGC~SGC

"Colonel, what do you make of all of this? I, for one, believe them," Yokan said.

Kowalski shrugged. "They sound like they're telling the truth. They sound exactly like our Major Carter and Teal'c, and we know that reality-hopping's possible. I believe them, too."

Yokan shuffled his feet a little. "Will you have to take them back to the SGC?"

Kowalski frowned slightly. "I don't want to. The SGC likely won't believe them, and that would put a serious kink in trying to get them back home. I think it's best to leave things as they are. God know it'd be hard for people back home to see their friends again, then have them snatched away. It's hard for me."

Nodding, Yokan said, "I can offer them a place to stay until Major Carter and Darrow work out how to build the device. They can stay here. No one at the SGC has to know they were ever here."

Kowalski smiled. "Thanks, Yokan. Really. You're good people. I wish we had more people like you on Earth."

Yokan grinned broadly, his face reflecting the sunlight as it broke through the forest cover. "The secret is to harm none. They'll be safe here, with the Yetri. Perhaps Darrow will let Major Carter take some technology samples home with her, to introduce to their Earth."

"That'd be good," Kowalski replied.

SGC~SGC~SGC

"Lonyi? Tha mur i?" Habrin called into the dark building.

"Thas! Lur i!" a voice called from a half-open door. Light spilled out as the door opened fully.

"Yin a himas," Habrin warned. "They need your help."

The other Yetri – Daniel assumed it was Lonyi – stepped forward so he could see them. His eyes widened.

"Yor liyo! Tayi!" he exclaimed.

"Uh..." O'Neill trailed off. "Daniel?"

Daniel stepped forward. "Umm. Hello? My name is Daniel Jackson. This is Colonel O'Neill. We came to ask for your help."

Habrin joined Daniel, standing near Lonyi. "Their friends are missing, and I thought perhaps the device you were working on might have something to do with it. I know it went missing. Is that possible?"

Lonyi's face fell. "Thas. I tha posha." He turned to Daniel. "It is possible. Come in. I'll try to explain as best I can."

SGC~SGC~SGC

Glossary:

"Yin a himas." means "I have friends."

"Yor liyo!" means "My (God, heavens, goodness)

"Tha mur i?" means "Are you here?"

"Thas! Lur i!" means "Yes! Back here!"

"Thas. I tha posha." means "Yes. It is possible."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: At last! Winter break has arrived! Happy holidays to everyone!

~SGC~SGC~

Teal'c allowed his mind to wander, as he Major Carter and Darrow's voices became background noise. He did not, however, let himself dwell on the possibility that they might not return home. It was far too early to think of things like that. Major Carter and Darrow had only begun brainstorming an hour ago, after Major Carter had scanned Darrow's work.

"Teal'c?" Teal'c turned when he heard his name. It was Yokan speaking. Teal'c raised his eyebrow in question.

Yokan smiled. "You've been here quite a while. You must be bored, listening to nothing but gibberish."

Teal'c tilted his head. "It is not 'gibberish'. It is a scientific discussion."

Yokan grinned. "Well, what I meant was that you must be bored listening to a conversation that only a scientist could understand. Half of what they say is a foreign language, to me."

Teal'c nodded once. "Indeed. It can be most disorienting."

"How would you like to learn more about the Yetri, since you've never heard of us in your reality? I could show you around, if you wanted."

Teal'c considered that. On one hand, he did not wish to leave Major Carter alone with someone that they had barely met, as harmless as the Yetri seemed. On the other hand, it might be useful for Major Carter and himself to know more of the people whose hospitality they had no choice but to accept. He decided that learning more about the Yetri was the wisest course.

"That would be most kind of you."

Yokan smiled again. "All right. I'll show you the baker's shop, first. You must be hungry. We can bring something back for Major Carter and Darrow."

Teal'c followed him, his curiosity taking over.

~SGC~SGC~

Daniel followed Lonyi and Habrin into Lonyi's lab. Daniel was a little unnerved at how dissimilar it was to his own lab. Whereas his was lived-in, Lonyi's was incredibly neat. Everything had its place, everything was labeled, and not a speck of dust marred the clean work surface. He heard Jack grunt behind him, and they exchanged a look of mutual incredulity that any place could be so scrupulously tidy.

Lonyi removed a thick journal from one of his many shelves, and laid it on the table in the center of his lab. He flipped to the page he wanted, and turned the book so that they could see the diagram depicted there.

"This is a scale drawing of the device I was creating. To put it simply, it was created to enable sentient beings, like the Yetri, and the Tayi, to cross into other realities." He paused, apparently so that his words could sink in.

Daniel heard Jack release a gusty sigh, as he pulled out a chair. Daniel flopped into one, as well, and put his head in his hands.

"I lost the device, when I went for a walk. I often do that. I find that the fresh air inspires me. The device was nearly finished. It is quite possible that, if your friends found it and touched it, they have been transported to an alternate universe."

Jack grumbled. "I really, really hate this alternate universe crap."

Daniel nodded, trying to think of useful questions to ask. "Um. Would the device have stayed with them? Could they use it to come back?"

Lonyi shook his head. "I'm sorry. I really don't know. It was only a prototype. It's testing has been very limited. I doubt that they could use it to come back, even if it stayed with them. They cannot read Yetri script, and might end up in yet another reality."

Jack finally looked up. "Could you make another one? One that will stay with the, uh, transportee?"

Lonyi looked confused. "I don't know. I could try. Why?"

Daniel caught on. "So that someone could go to the reality that the original device took them to, and bring them back."

Lonyi now looked alarmed. "Doctor Jackson! Do you know how difficult and dangerous it would be to test? And it would take an incredibly long time to find out which reality the original device took them to."

Jack seemed a little angry. "What choice do we have _but_ to try and figure it out? If you won't help us, at least give us a few hints to take back to SGC scientists so we can figure it out ourselves. I'm getting my people back."

Lonyi looked at his feet. "I never said I wouldn't help you. I will. But it will probably take a long time."

Daniel nodded, trying to placate the scientist. "We understand. We would still like to bring a few SGC scientists in on the project, though. Usually, the more heads thinking, the faster the process goes."

Habrin stepped forward. "That would be fine. I'm sure everyone will be able to work together. Right, Lonyi?" He glanced sharply at the scientist. Lonyi nodded quickly.

Daniel nodded too, though he wasn't so sure. In his experience, people working in the same field usually had difficulty working together.

~SGC~SGC~

"Darrow, look at this. If I'm reading your notes correctly, rearranging some of these components will specify which reality the device will transport someone to. Is that right?" Carter asked.

Darrow peered over her shoulder at the draft paper. "Yes, that's right. What are you thinking of?"

Carter traced a few of the long, thin lines representing wires. "I think that we can figure out which reality they correspond to, with a little tweaking."

Darrow nodded. "I tried to find a way to do that. I came close, but never quite understood how."

Carter pointed to a specific wire. "I think that if we can find a wire to connect this wire to a computer, I can write a program that will actually show us images of the reality we're interested in. How did you get it to record images without actually being there?"

Darrow looked sheepish. "I, uh, never actually intended it to show images. I just wanted to designate each possible reality a number sequence to identify it. So, basically, I don't know how I did it."

Carter smiled, but also looked disappointed. "Well, maybe we can figure it out."

Darrow nodded, then paused. "I just had a thought. The device that transported you here, did it come here with you?"

Carter shook her head. "No. It wasn't in my hand when we arrived here. I wish it had come along. Then we could study it, use it for ideas."

Darrow sighed. "Ah, well. I suppose we can't have everything. Let's see if we can find anything else useful."

~SGC~SGC~

"Are you sure about this, Colonel?" General Hammond asked O'Neill. "We barely know the Yetri. They might not be as friendly as they seem."

O'Neill had checked in with the SGC after making sure it was all right to bring Earth scientists into the project. He and the General were discussing their choices.

"I really don't know, sir, but I think working with them might be our only option, for getting Carter and Teal'c back."

The General sighed. "All right, Colonel. I'll have some of our scientists come to the Yetri world. Hopefully they'll all be able to work together. In the meantime, I want you and Doctor Jackson to learn everything you can about these people. The more we know, the better off we are."

"Yes, sir. We'll do what we can. I plan on getting them back as soon as possible."

"Good, Colonel. And good luck."

"Thank you, sir. O'Neill out."

~SGC~SGC~

A/N: I'm sorry this chapter is so short. I'll try to make up for it in the next one. Things should actually start happening soon, by the way. Most of my stories start out pretty slow.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: At last, I'm writing again. As much as I like winter, it comes along with annoying things like college applications, and all the forms that need filling out. Oh, well. I'm back to what I like best. I hope you enjoy this installment. I've started the next chapter, so I should have it posted before the week is out. Keeping my fingers crossed. Hope you enjoy, and I apologize for the hiatus. Happy Spring!

~SGC~SGC~

Teal'c looked around curiously as he followed Yokan to the baker's shop. He was, indeed, feeling the need for food.

He was continually amazed by how peaceful the Yetri were. The tall, stocky aliens talked, laughed, and worked together with nary a dispute. The doctor that he and Major Carter had previously seen now tended to a crying child. He rocked the small boy in his arms, as he used the glowing sphere to scan him. When he was done, he rummaged in his bag and handed the boy's mother a jar of salve.

The mother who had entertained her baby with the hologram pendant had gathered more children about her. She appeared to be telling them a story that accompanied the illustrations.

Yokan noticed Teal'c's preoccupation, and chuckled. "Are you wondering how we get along so peacefully?"

Teal'c tilted his head. "Indeed. I find it intriguing that such a large number of people live in true harmony."

"As far back as we can remember, we have lived this way. Like the Nox, we make it our goal to harm none. Some – including the Tayi – have told us we should learn to defend ourselves. But we have never needed to, and I doubt we will."

Teal'c frowned a little. "However, there are enemies that would attempt to harm you, only to steal your technology and resources. The Taur'i were correct. You should be able to defend yourselves."

Yokan shook his head. "I doubt that any of us could bear to raise a weapon to harm another being. In the last rotation of the sun, one of our younger adults raised a fist to hit his friend, but before the blow could land, he fell to the ground, weeping in remorse. We have lived so long with this ideology, that to harm another would be to harm ourselves."

Teal'c nodded slowly in understanding. He truly hoped that the Yetri would never meet threats such as the Goa'uld. They would surely lose.

"Ah, here we are!" Yokan spoke cheerfully, and gestured into a shop that emitted enticing smells of baking bread. "Pick whatever you like, and something for Major Carter, too. She and Darrow will be hungry, even if they haven't noticed yet."

Smiling slightly, Teal'c nodded a bit. He knew that Major Carter often worked too long, and forgot to eat until she was very hungry. Then, she ate a large meal in the commissary, before she went back to work with a mug of coffee.

He walked into the shop, looking at the various breads arranged in baskets on shelves around the walls. He selected two small-sized loaves, then paused. He glanced at Yokan.

"How am I to pay for these?"

Yokan laughed out loud. "Oh, that's simple. You don't. We don't have a money system. We barter, or trade, or simply help our neighbors. No one ever goes without what they need."

Teal'c eyebrow rose. In his experience, nothing was ever truly so simple. However, he decided not to question Yokan, and nodded deeply.

~SGC~SGC~

On the way back to Major Carter and Darrow, Teal'c began to ask questions about the Yetri.

"Have you ever encountered enemies such as the Goa'uld?"

"No, _thiang._ They never discovered our planet."

"What is the basis of your technology?"

"Actually, we use naquadah, to power our technology. We simply use it differently than the Goa'uld." Yokan smiled a bit at Teal'c's startled – for Teal'c – look.

Teal'c took several moments to compose another question. He decided he needed to learn more about Yetri culture, and asked Yokan to tell him about his people.

Yokan smiled. "I'm glad you're curious. I like to tell people about us.

"We evolved here, on this planet. _Yetraham_. Home of the Yetri, translated into English. We do not receive very much sunlight, due to the thick forests. Therefore, our skin is nearly translucent, as you can see. It makes it easier to absorb the nutrients that make it possible to form what the Taur'i call vitamin D. When we enter patches of sunlight, the shimmering of our skin and hair reflects much of the light, preventing us from being burned. And we are very tall because, as we evolved, much of our food came from trees, and those tall enough to reach it survived. Now, of course, we help each other, instead of competing to the death." He laughed a bit.

Teal'c nodded, absorbing the information. "What of your religious practices?"

Yokan smiled. "Surprisingly enough, we have none. At least, none that contains a deity, or worship of anything in particular. We help one another. That way, we have everything we need. We have never been able to believe in a higher power that knows and sees all."

Teal'c nodded again.

Yokan grinned widely. "Are you out of questions, for now?"

"Indeed. However, I am certain Major Carter will be very curious, as well."

Yokan shook his head a bit. "Yes. The Major Carter I remember was very curious. As was Doctor Jackson."

Teal'c inclined his head in agreement, but mentally withdrew from the conversation. Mention of Daniel Jackson reminded him that he and Major Carter were far from returning home, to their friends. To their lives. Quickly, he pushed the melancholy emotions back, refusing to dwell on things that could weaken him here and now.

He had to be strong. For himself, and for Major Carter.

S-G-C-S-G-C

Carter looked up when she heard Teal'c and Yokan returning. The warm, rich smell of bread wafted ahead of them, and made her realize how hungry she was.

Teal'c smiled gently at her, and placed a pastry on a napkin in front of her. She chuckled, and grinned at him.

"Thanks, Teal'c. I didn't even realize I was hungry."

"Indeed. You are notorious for doing so."

She gratefully bit into the pastry. Her eyes widened, and after she finished chewing, she looked at it. "Wow. That's amazing. What's in it?" She looked between Teal'c and Yokan.

Teal'c inclined his head to Yokan, who smiled broadly. "You will have to ask Lithae. She's the baker. The best we've ever had, I think."

Carter stood up and stretched. I don't know about you, Darrow, but I need a break. Mind if I take a walk?"

Darrow looked up distractedly. "What? Oh, no. Go have some fresh air. I'll probably be along in a little while." He went back to his notes, pastry in hand.

Carter put her hand on Teal'c's arm as she left the lab, and he followed her outdoors. She breathed deeply as she rolled her shoulders. She was stiff from so long bent over the table, reading diagram after diagram. Darrow had had to translate the Yetri text for her, which meant it took even longer.

She caught Teal'c's eye, and nodded to a soft, mossy patch beneath a particularly tall tree. They sat, and she waited for him to tell her what he'd learned.

"I do not believe the Yetri to be dangerous, or deceitful. They seemed to me to be very honest and forthright, as well as gentle. Yokan told me of the evolution of the Yetri, and that they have no belief in gods. They use a barter system, and use naquadah to power their technologies."

Carter blinked. "What?"

"Yokan informed me that although they use naquadah, they have utilized it differently than do the Goa'uld. They have not been influenced by them in any way. They have never encountered them."

"I should ask Darrow more about that while we're here. That could be incredibly useful."

Teal'c nodded his agreement.

"Hey! How's it going with you two?"

Carter and Teal'c looked up, and saw Kowalski headed for them. He sat cross-legged on the ground in front of them, and looked at Carter expectantly.

She shrugged. "Darrow and I will be working on this for a while. I think I'd like to learn more about the Yetri, in general, too. Might be worth it to stay for a while, as much as I'd like to go home."

Kowalski nodded. "They're pretty fascinating people. Ask Yokan to take you to the historian. She can tell you more than anyone else."

Carter nodded at him. "Thanks, I'll do that."

"Yokan told me to tell you that there's going to be a celebration tonight. One of their season-change celebrations, now that spring's here. Should be fun. And you can meet more of their people. We're staying for a while, too," Kowalski told them.

"That does sound nice. It'd be a good break from work."

Kowalski grinned, then got up and wandered away, seemingly headed nowhere in particular.

"Guess we're going to a party tonight."

"Indeed."

S-G-C-S-G-C

"Dr. Lee, welcome to the Yetri world! And it's about time!" O'Neill said.

"We needed to gather supplies together, Colonel! You never know what you might need!" Dr. Lee protested.

"Fine. Come on. You'll need to meet Lonyi."

As O'Neill and Dr. Lee headed out, the other scientists following, they passed Daniel and Habrin at the pillar that had so captured Daniel's interest before.

"Come on, Daniel."

"You go ahead, Jack. Habrin's teaching me the Yetri language. I'm trying to translate this. We'll catch up."

Habrin grinned at O'Neill. "Don't worry, Colonel. I'll make sure he gets back soon. We're perfectly safe, here."

"Yeah, well, Carter and Teal'c were perfectly safe, too, apparently." The biting tone in O'Neill's voice did not go unnoticed.

Daniel turned to Habrin. "Don't mind him. Grouchy is his normal state of being."

Habrin shook his head sadly. "He is right to be angry. It is because of us that your friends are missing."

Another Yetri spoke. "_Sinn tana andrio Miye Taio_."

Habrin looked at him sharply, then nodded. He turned to Daniel and O'Neill.

"Carrin has made a useful suggestion. He says that we must ask our Blessed Mother for help and advice."

Daniel blinked. "Blessed Mother?"

"Yes. It is what we call the oldest and wisest woman among us. The wisest man is _Kiye Taio_, or Blessed Father."

O'Neill nodded. "Right then. After we get Dr. Lee and his people settled, we'll ask her."

He hoped she could help.

S-G-C-S-G-C

Glossary:

"_Thiang"_means"Thanks be."

"_Yetraham"_means"Home of the Yetri"

"_Sinn tana andrio Miye Taio"_means"We must ask Blessed Mother."

"_Kiye Taio"_means"Blessed Father"


	9. Chapter 9

S-G-C-S-G-C

"Don't touch that! Colonel!" Dr. Lee yelped.

O'Neill looked up at Dr. Lee, and, seeing his frantic eyes, pulled his hands away from the equipment he'd been shifting and raised his hands in the air innocently.

"Sorry, Doctor. I'll leave it alone."

"Thank you," Dr. Lee gasped as he bent over the... whatever-it-was... protectively. "This is a very delicate piece of equipment, and only scientists trained to use it should handle it."

"Okay, so. What _can_ I do?" O'Neill asked.

"Go over there and help bring in those boxes."

"Right. I'll do that."

He sauntered over to the pile of file boxes piled on the cart outside, and picked one up to carry inside. He paused, though, eyes caught by movement around the side of the building. He put down the box and followed, his instincts telling him to find out what was going on.

He walked quietly, not wanting whoever was scuttling to the back of the lab building to know he was following them. He stuck close to the wall, and stayed a way back.

When he reached the next corner, he peeked around, and saw a figure half-running into the woods. He walked exactly where they had.

After a few minutes he caught up to them, and hid behind a tree. The figure was a Yetri, but somehow looked different. His hair didn't have the same luster, and his skin didn't shine in the sunlight. O'Neill couldn't see his eyes.

What he could see was the small Goa'uld communication sphere the Yetri held.

O'Neill caught his breath before it could hiss out and alert the man to his presence. He recognized the face that appeared in the sphere. Cronus. The blasted snake had an operative on the Yetri world. He cursed silently and thoroughly. He listened carefully.

His eyes widened as he heard the man telling Cronus about him and Daniel being there. The man also told Cronus about Carter and Teal'c's disappearance. Cronus appeared pleased by the news.

Cronus told the Yetri to do what he could to delay the research. He wanted SG-1 split up, so that it would be more difficult for them to defend the Yetri.

O'Neill couldn't believe his ears. Cronus knew about the Yetri. And he wanted their technology and resources. And a Yetri was helping him. He'd thought the Yetri were a peaceful race, bound to harm none. He'd understood that they were like the Nox. And the Nox would never help the snakes. But here was proof that he'd been wrong.

After Cronus' image faded from the sphere, O'Neill waited for the Yetri to leave, then followed him back to the village, thoughts whirling in his mind.

S-G-C-S-G-C

"Daniel, we have a problem," O'Neill spoke into his radio.

"What is it?" Daniel's response was tinged with distraction, and his irritability at being disturbed.

"Cronus is coming." He said it flatly, bluntly. He no longer had patience for anything else.

"What! Jack, that's a sick joke!"

O'Neill remained silent. The radio crackled again.

Daniel's voice came over the channel, sounding resigned and disbelieving at the same time. "You're not joking are you? Oh, God. How do you know?"

"I'll need to tell you this in person. Meet me at the 'gate."

"Okay, I'll be there."

S-G-C-S-G-C

When Daniel saw Jack coming, he stood from his seat on the steps in front of the Stargate.

Jack motioned him to sit back down, then joined him. He started to speak without preamble. He explained his entire 'encounter', for Daniel to analyze.

Daniel shook his head to try and clear it. "I can't believe it. That a Yetri would betray his own people."

Jack sighed. "I know. I didn't want to believe it. But there it is."

"We have to tell Habrin. The Yetri have to protect themselves."

Jack shook his head. "They won't. We already know that."

"Then what do we do? We can't just leave them to be conquered."

"We're not."

"What?"

"We're going to think of something. I don't care if we have to uproot them to a whole other planet. We're not letting them get themselves killed."

Daniel was flabbergasted. He hadn't thought Jack cared about the Yetri. He'd continued to blame them for Sam and Teal'c's disappearance.

Jack seemed to catch some of what Daniel was thinking. He spoke without turning his head. "We need to get Carter and Teal'c back. And to do that, we need the Yetri. Plus, they're helpless. I can't not help them."

Daniel nodded. He knew that Jack hated seeing people get hurt who couldn't help themselves. "We should probably head back to Earth for a while. We need to talk to General Hammond. And this isn't exactly the conversation we want to have over the MALP."

Jack agreed. "We should. First, though, we need to tell Habrin that he and his people are in trouble."

S-G-C-S-G-C

"No!" Habrin exclaimed. "No Yetri would ever consider aiding an enemy. A Yetri would never betray his people that way! You must be mistaken!"

His eyes were wide, and frantic. His voice expressed his fear, and his desperate hope that O'Neill hadn't seen what he thought he had.

O'Neill shook his head. "I'm sorry, Habrin. I know what I saw. If you search his house, you'll find the sphere."

Habrin's shoulders slumped. He took a deep breath, and nodded. "I'll ask Carrin to search the house."

O'Neill had seen the house the man had gone into, and had told Habrin. He had also described the Yetri's sickly appearance.

O'Neill stood, and turned for the door. He looked back when he heard a quiet sniff. He realized that Habrin was crying softly. He reached out awkwardly, and touched the man's shoulder. Habrin looked up at him in surprise.

"Everything's going to okay. Not sure how, yet, but everything always turns out okay in the end."

Habrin nodded in thanks.

O'Neill turned, and left. He met Daniel at the 'gate.

Daniel had gathered his things, and was waiting to go. His raised eyebrows asked how the conversation with Habrin had gone.

"He believed me. He'll have the house searched. If they find the sphere, they'll arrange for a panel to question him, and decide what will happen to him."

Daniel sighed heavily. "I hate that this happened. People like them...", he sighed again, "They shouldn't have to go through this."

O'Neill agreed. He headed for the DHD, and dialed Earth.

S-G-C-S-G-C

A/N: Sorry this one's so short. My computer's been acting up, and I haven't been able to use it for several days. I wanted to get a chapter out, though, so I don't lose my "momentum". Hope you enjoy it.


	10. Chapter 10

As the klaxon sounded, General Hammond headed toward Sergeant Harriman. He leaned over the man's shoulder to see the computer monitor. "Who is it, Sergeant?"

"It looks like SG-1's IDC, sir." Harriman looked for Hammond's reaction.

Hammond relaxed visibly. "Open the iris." He turned his attention to the Gate room, and waited for Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson to come through. When they did, he thought they looked upset. Colonel O'Neill looked downright angry. Hammond made his way down the stairs.

"What happened, Colonel?" he asked.

O'Neill shook his head. "Bad news, sir. Might put a kink in getting Carter and Teal'c back as soon as we hoped. The Gould are going to attack the Yetri."

Hammond's eyes widened. "Are you sure? How do you know?"

"I caught one using a communication sphere, talking to Cronus," O'Neill said.

Hammond sighed. "Briefing room in an hour. We'll discuss our options then."

O'Neill nodded. "Will do, sir. Come on Daniel, I need food."

Doctor Jackson followed him, nodding to Hammond.

After they left, Hammond stood staring at the Stargate for a minute. Of all the times for Major Carter and Teal'c to disappear. The Goa'uld were attacking a peaceful people, and the SGC's own people were missing. He sighed. Well. He would just make sure the Yetri were safe, so that the SGC could bring home the rest of SG-1.

S-G-C-S-G-C

"Major Carter? Are you all right?" Darrow asked. His voice sounded concerned for her, and he looked at her anxiously.

Carter jerked her head up, and blinked. "What? Oh, Darrow, I'm sorry." She smiled at him reassuringly. "I just zoned out, I guess. We've been staring at these same plans for hours. I just can't seem to absorb any more right now."

Darrow nodded in understanding. He stood and stretched. "Why don't we take a break, for now? The celebration is tonight. We can start again tomorrow."

Carter smiled ruefully. "I think that's a good idea, actually." She stood, and stretched. She rolled her neck, and winced as it popped loudly. "Well. That feels better."

Darrow's eyes squinted in what she was coming to recognize as his own quiet brand of laughter. A smile spread across his face as he said, "I have an idea, Colonel. I think Teal'c would be interested, as well."

Carter looked at him curiously. "What is it?"

"I believe you would enjoy seeing the village prepare for the celebration. The whole town helps, and it's just as much fun as the festival itself."

Carter smiled. "So... it's like the party before the party."

Darrow's eyes squinted again, before laughing out loud. "Yes. That would be a good description!" He laughed again. "Shall we? Where has Teal'c gone?"

"I think he went with Yokan."

Darrow headed for the door. "I know where he is, then. Yokan will have gotten him to help, by now."

Carter was puzzled at his lack of expansion, but as he was already through the door, decided to follow and see what he meant, for herself.

Carter stopped dead in her tracks when she saw how Teal'c was 'helping'. She started to laugh.

Teal'c was sitting in the middle of a crowd of Yetri youngsters. Several sat on his lap, and another was rubbing at the tattoo on his forehead. Teal'c seemed to be enjoying himself, oddly enough.

Carter turned questioning eyes onto Darrow.

He squinted. "None of the _chaile_ have ever seen a Jaffa, before. They are very curious." He coughed. "And it seemed many of their parents have taken advantage of that."

Carter looked again, and grinned. The children's parents seemed to have taken the opportunity presented by the newcomer to leave the children there, so that they could finish preparing for the celebration.

She ambled over to Teal'c, wading through the sparkling – literally – faces of the Yetri children to reach him.

"Having fun?", she joked.

Teal'c smiled. "Indeed. They remind me of Rya'c, when he was young."

Carter smiled again, as one of the children latched onto her leg. She made room for herself to sit beside Teal'c. Two of the Yetri children immediately climbed into her lap.

One of them appeared to be several years older than the other. She touched Carter's face, lightly. Then she smiled, her large white teeth gleaming in the light filtering through the trees.

She touched tip of her forefinger to her nose, and said, "_Nak_."

Carter caught on, and touched her own nose, and said it in English.

The little girl grinned delightedly, and touched her eyes. "_Yak_."

Carter tugged on the child's shining black braid.

The girl pulled lightly at Carter's blonde hair. "_Val_".

The game continued, for a while, as twilight fell over the village.

Soon the children's parents were beckoning them home. When they had left, Carter and Teal'c stood and stretched. Carter turned to see Kowalski approaching.

Kowalski waved in greeting. "You guys seen where you're staying, yet?"

Carter shook her head. "No, not yet."

"Come on. You're next door to my team." He headed toward the center of town.

Carter looked at Teal'c. "Okay, then." Teal'c tilted his head in a nod.

"Tell me what happened, Colonel," General Hammond ordered as he sat.

O'Neill sighed, and leaned on his elbows on the briefing room table.

"I was helping Dr. Lee's people move stuff into the lab, when I saw one of the Yetri going toward the woods. I'm not sure why I decided to follow him. Just thought I should. I tailed him to a clearing, where he was already using the sphere thing. I saw Cronus's face in it, and he told the guy to keep us from finding Carter and Teal'c. He wants us separated, so the Yetri will be easy pickings for him."

"Why does he want to attack the Yetri?" Hammond asked.

Daniel piped in, "Why do Goa'uld ever attack anyone? Cronus wants more territory, more power. And the Yetri have some pretty impressive technology. I'm sure Cronus would love to get his hands on it."

O'Neill blew out a breath. "We just have to keep him away from the Yetri. General, they're peaceful people. And they won't defend themselves. I want to volunteer to stay there for a while, see what we can do."

Hammond leaned back, and sighed. "Colonel, I appreciate what you're saying, but I don't know if we have the resources to keep the Gould away from their planet. And I don't know if I like the idea of losing our own people while fighting for others."

O'Neill leaned forward. "General, Carter and Teal'c are in _another reality_. I know you want them back as much as I do, and the Yetri are our way of getting them back. If we don't protect these people, we may never see our people again."

Hammond sighed again, and nodded. "All right. I'll get teams two, four, and nine together. You'll leave at 0800."

O'Neill sat back in relief. "Thank you, sir."

Hammond stood and turned toward his office. "You're welcome. Dismissed."

Glossary:

Chaile..........children

Nak..........nose

Yak..........eye

Val..........hair

A/N: I wish I could say I can post more often now, but I'm in the middle of moving. Not fun. Anyway, the next chapter will be longer. Just don't know when I'll have the time to write it.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I apologize profusely for the most recent egregious delay. Happily, I will be able to post at least once a week, now, unless something drastic comes up. I'm now happily ensconced in my university in Denver, Colorado, with time to write on the weekends. Finally. Happy autumn, all of you in this hemisphere.

I would also like to apologize for leaving out a scene break in the previous chapter. I'll try to fix it, if I can figure out how. I'm pretty technology illiterate. Now, on with the story.

SGC~SGC~SGC

"Well, here we are", Kowalski said. He gestured to the front door of a small guesthouse, two streets over from the center of the Yetri town. "Yokan said this was all yours, for as long as you need to stay here. My team and I are right next door."

Carter smiled. "It's great. So, how long do we have until the big party?"

"Oh, about four hours. Enough time for a nap, if that's what you want." Kowalski grinned knowingly. "I recommend taking advantage of the time. The seasonal festivals usually last all night."

Carter's eyebrows climbed. "Wow. Yeah, I'll definitely get some sleep while I can. See you later, Kowalski."

Kowalski nodded and waved as Carter and Teal'c disappeared into the house.

SGC~SGC~SGC

Four hours later, Carter woke to the sound of knocking. She sat up, and brushed her hair out of her eyes. She saw Teal'c deep in kel-no-reem, and decided not to disturb him.

She answered the door, and saw Eota raising his hand to knock again. He gave her a wide, toothy smile when he saw her, and motioned toward the center of town. "_Ley fionai._"

Carter nodded, and smiled, understanding that he was referring to the festival.

Eota grinned, and turned away, satisfied that she was coming.

Carter closed the door, and approached Teal'c. She saw that he appeared more peaceful than he had for the last two days. She headed toward the table, and found a pencil and paper. She wrote him a note, to let him know where she had gone.

SGC~SGC~SGC

When Carter arrived at the edge of the town square, she saw a very happy scene. The Yetri people were all smiling, and laughing. A goodly number were dancing to music provided by a group of musicians. The sound was strange to her, but pleasing. She decided it sounded a bit like traditional Celtic music. Many of the themes were the same, but the style and instruments were decidedly different.

There was a large table in front of the baker's laden with food of all kinds, and the majority of the Yetri children – _chaile_, she remembered – were gathered there, talking and giggling.

Carter approached the little girl who had taught her what little Yetri she knew. The girl saw her, and waved energetically. Carter realized that she didn't know the girl's name.

She pointed to herself, and said, "Carter." The little girl grinned, delighted, and repeated it. Carter then pointed to the girl.

The Yetri child caught on, and said proudly, "Sadeeka."

Carter repeated it. Sadeeka laughed lightly, and took Carter's hand, leading her toward the other children. She began to introduce them, and Carter had to try very hard to imprint each child's face, before Sadeeka led her further on.

"Carys."

"Fearghal."

"Nasreen."

Carter repeated the names dutifully, hoping she would be able to remember them later.

She saw Yokan coming toward them, obviously laughing. She grinned sheepishly as he came closer.

"I see that our _chaile_ have taken you hostage," he joked.

Carter nodded, straightfaced. "Yes, they have."

Yokan laughed again. "Let me show you around. I'll introduce you to some people your own age."

Carter followed him. Yokan introduced her to several interesting people, one of whom was a woman named Mehira. She was the woman whom Carter had seen at the doctors' office, when she and Teal'c first arrived. Mehira spoke English well, and the two women conversed at length, discussing Carter's work, and Mehira's family.

Mehira had two daughters, and one baby boy. She had been a baker, before she decided she wanted to spend more time with her children. Her husband, Manan, was a carpenter. He had helped to build all of the newer buildings in the town.

Yokan appeared at regular intervals to introduce Carter to someone else. She hoped she wouldn't be expected to remember everyone's name. There were simply too many people for that.

After about two hours, Teal'c materialized out of the sea of people, and approached her. Carter was surrounded by children again, and several of them yelled happily when they saw Teal'c.

He smiled, and crouched down to make eye contact with them. They remembered the game Carter had played with them, and began introducing themselves.

Carter grinned. She and the other members of SG-1 had always enjoyed seeing Teal'c's impassive mask fall away. She decided he looked very different when he smiled. Somehow, the lines of his face completely rearranged themselves.

She sobered, at the thought of SG-1. She missed them. She missed hearing the Colonel pretend to be angry, and actually missed hearing him bark orders. She missed seeing Daniel light up with a new find, and wished she could go and drag him away from whomever he was trying to converse with.

She sighed. She would just have to work as hard as she had to. Eventually, they would be able to go home. _Won't we?_

_I hope so._

SGC~SGC~SGC

"Habrin?"

O'Neill tried again. "Habrin!" This time, he saw the Yetri man appear around the corner of the lab.

"Colonel O'Neill. What did your General Hammond say?"

"We brought a couple teams with us. We'll set a perimeter, at first, to keep an eye out. We'll rig some gun placements around the area, too. And we need to make sure we see them coming. Do your people have anything that could do that?"

Habrin nodded. "We have several satellites in orbit, with sensors attached. We'll be able to tell when they enter the solar system."

"Great. Now, do you think you could detail a couple people to go with our team leaders? We need to scout the area and find out where to set things up."

"Yes, Colonel. I'll gather Erien, Arial, and Aed."

"Good. Tell them to meet us by the 'gate."

SGC~SGC~SGC

"Carter?"

Carter looked up, to see Mehira walking toward her.

After realizing how much she missed _her_ reality, the festival had really held no allure for her. She had wandered back to the house that she and Teal'c were staying in. From the front porch, she could see the stars. Watching the sky always helped her to relax.

"Mehira. Hi."

The other woman nodded, and smiled a bit as she sat beside Carter. She began to speak.

"I know how you feel." Carter looked at her, mildly surprised. Mehira nodded.

"I know what it is, to be so far from home that even the stars do not look the same. The Yetri have long had powerful technology. Some few of us used it to travel among the stars, and the planets." She sighed.

"We did not fight. We merely explored. I met the Nox, who are much like us. I also encountered the Goa'uld. I know how hopeless your fight seems.

"While I was on a Goa'uld occupied planet, I became trapped. The Stargate was inaccessible. I lived among the people of that world for many years. I moved often, because I was easily recognizable. I was never captured, but it was close, sometimes."

Mehira looked at Carter. "It is a terrible thing, to be trapped so far from what is familiar. Hope dwindles so quickly. Escape, or return, seems utterly impossible." She laid her hand over Carter's. "Do not give up hope, Major Carter. I found my way home, against all odds. You will, too."

The two women sat in silence, while Carter digested Mehira's words.

"How did you get back?" Carter asked.

Mehira smiled. "Manan and I have been friends since childhood. We are both explorers at heart. When he learned that I was trapped, he used up the last of his savings to buy a small ship that was capable of surpassing light speed. He modified the cloaking system, so that the Goa'uld could not detect it. He scanned the planet's surface, and found only one Yetri signature. He landed the ship behind the house I was hiding in, and rescued me." She grinned. "I think that was the reason I fell in love with him. He gave up all he had to come for me."

Carter found herself smiling. "And you introduced yourselves as a baker and a carpenter!"

"We were. That was much easier than telling you my life history at the time!"

Carter laughed. _Don't judge a book by its cover, indeed!_

SGC~SGC~SGC

Glossary:

"_Ley fionai" _means "The festival"


End file.
